The progress of the industrialized world has not come without consequence. In recent decades, there has been a global increase in the incidence of disease, as well as a rapid deterioration in the health of our environment. As we approach the 21.sup.st century, many of us look for ways to control the quality of the environment in which we live, including the air we breath, the water we drink and the nutritional value of our food.
The quality of the air we breath is particularly concerning, as we require a continual source of oxygen to ensure our survival. For the most part, we are unaware of the potential dangers of the air we breath because some of the most harmful substances we encounter are in the form of colourless, odourless gases and microscopic organisms and particulate.
correlation with the demand for improved air quality in homes, offices and institutions worldwide, many air purification devices have appeared in the global marketplace. However, the limitation of such devices has been in both the removal and neutralization of viruses, fungi and bacteria from the air. Thus, there appears to be an unmet demand for an air filter with improved purification capabilities, particularly with respect to the removal of viruses, fungi and bacteria from the air. In addition, there is a need for such an improved air filter which effectively attenuates the viruses, fungi and bacteria with which it comes into contact, so as to provide an air filter which is easily and safely discarded after use. Further still, there is increasing demand for such a filter which is economically feasible for general use in homes and offices.